Cranberry treats bring back special memories

Tribune reader Ann Crawford called in with a recipe request for the cranberry sherbet made by Blanche Bailer, the owner of Super Cream Ice Cream.

Ann remembers the seasonal treat was available only between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but it was so popular in her home that her mom and grandmother would order it in advance. Ann sometimes ordered several gallons so there would be enough still in the freezer come summer.

“We were talking at Christmas about things we miss and this came up,” Ann said. “It was a little tart, but after a big meal, oh, it was delicious.”

Ann reached out to some ice cream makers to see if they had a cranberry option, but had no luck. She’s hoping someone has the recipe.

Ann’s request inspired me to do a little cranberry recipe hunting myself. I was able to find a cranberry ice cream. Though not a sherbet maybe it’ll hit the spot.

CRANBERRY ICE CREAM

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tbsp. sugar

6 large egg yolks

1/8 tsp. salt

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (from two 12-ounce bags; do not thaw)

1 cinnamon stick

Bring cream and 1/2 cup sugar just to a boil in a 2- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and keep hot, covered.

Beat together yolks, salt, and 3 tbsp. sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and thick enough to form a ribbon that takes 2 seconds to dissolve into mixture when beater is lifted, 3 to 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 4 to 8 with a hand held mixer.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add hot cream mixture to yolks in a slow stream, then transfer custard back to saucepan. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is slightly thickened and registers 170 degrees on thermometer (do not let boil).

While custard cools, combine cranberries, remaining cup sugar and cinnamon stick in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick, then carefully transfer cranberry mixture to a blender and purée until smooth (use caution when blending hot mixtures.)

Force through fine-mesh sieve into bowl of custard, pressing on solids with back of a spoon and then discarding them. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 4 hours.

Bake until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes; transfer cake to wire rack and cool completely. In a bowl, mix confectioner's sugar and orange liqueur until smooth. With a skewer, poke several holes in top of cake and drizzle with glaze.

Preheat oven to 350. Pulse cookies in a food processor until very finely ground (you should have about 1 cup.) Add pecans; pulse until finely ground. Add butter and brown sugar; pulse to combine. Transfer to a deep 9 inch pie dish. Using a measuring cup, press firmly onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until firm and slightly darkened in color, 10–15 minutes. If crust slides down sides, gently press back up. Let cool.

Filling and assembly:

Bring 12 ounces cranberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Reduce heat; simmer until cranberries burst and most of the liquid evaporates, 12–15 minutes. Let cool. Purée in a blender until very smooth.

Cook purée, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lime juice, salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tsp. lime zest in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring with a rubber spatula and scraping down sides of bowl often, until curd thickens and coats spatula, 8–10 minutes. Let cool until just warm.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat curd, adding butter a piece at a time and incorporating after each addition, until curd looks lighter in color and texture, about 5 minutes. Scrape into crust and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add remaining 4 ounce cranberries and cook until barely starting to soften, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill until no longer sticky, 20–30 minutes.